


Bad Dream

by Pikkulef



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:08:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24576571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pikkulef/pseuds/Pikkulef
Summary: An old thing I found while looking for a WIP ! Published previously on Tumblr.
Relationships: Matt Murdock/Karen Page
Comments: 8
Kudos: 18





	Bad Dream

Matt woke up at once. It took him some time to get his bearings, but something had startled him. He stayed still on his side of the bed, listening, smelling, trying to sense what was wrong. 

He wasn’t usually awoken this way - but then again, it wasn’t that usual for him to sleep so… well. So deeply. 

His brain was slow, but too slow for him to be frustrated by it. Sleep clung to him, clawed at him, pulling him back, and he was half surprised, half relieved at finding himself falling back to it. Surprised by his ability to let himself fall. 

And then he noticed. 

Karen.   
He had to pass through that realisation that she was indeed there - like almost every morning now - to eventually get what was wrong.

She was sleeping next to him, behind his back, a little too far for them to touch, motionless. Her whole body was tense. It wasn’t much, but to him, it was as if her muscles were vibrating, each like a different, out of tune violin string, under a harsh bow. 

Her scent, that scent he would allow himself to get lost in, was slightly off - he could smell fear and anguish in it. 

He turned to face her, slowly. 

Sleep had deserted him, now, and he could hear her irregular breathing, and thumping heart beat. In fact, he could feel it - that beating was so strong, he felt it through his own chest from where he was. 

She was having a nightmare again. 

It wasn't the first time, but she usually woke up a fraction of second after he would, either woken by him moving, or by the dream itself. But today wasn't the case. 

Matt felt his heart sink at the thought of her being trapped in whatever nightmare she was having - or bad experience she was living through again. He knew that feeling all too well himself. 

Should he wake her up? He wasn't sure. He didn't want to startle her. He pondered talking to her, but that was bound to fail. 

Matt licked his lips and sighed. Even if he startled her, he couldn't leave her like that. As slowly as he could, he extended his arm enough for his hand to reach her shoulder, and stopped, leaving his hand hovering, analysing every sensation he could get from her. She did not seem to notice, but didn't relax an inch, either. 

Matt brought his hand down onto her skin, softly, not enough to leave the weight of his hand on her, but just so his palm and fingertips touched her lightly. He took his softest, smallest voice to call her. 

"Hey. Karen."

She didn't exactly react to his voice, but he felt her relax slightly under his hand. 

"It's okay. You're safe." He caressed her arm, keeping his touch as light as a feather, sensing her muscles loosen, as if that violin was tuning in, following the partition he traced on her skin. 

"I'll keep you safe, remember?" 

Slowly, painfully slowly, her heart calmed down, her breathing became regular again. Matt couldn't repress a smile. It worked. 

When he was sure Karen felt better, that she had left the nightmare behind, and he could sense her signs she was going to wake up, he got closer and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. 

She was still half asleep, digging her head against his chest. 

"... Matt?" 

"Yeah?" he had kept that voice, almost inaudible, but he talked with his mouth against her hair, and he wasn't sure she was awake enough to actually hear him. 

"I had a bad dream again." 

"Yeah. I know."


End file.
